Planarized thin film magnetic write head with submicron trackwidth

A thin film magnetic write head having a pole tip region and a back region, the pole tip region forming a portion of an air bearing surface (ABS) comprising:

• a first magnetic pole layer with a first portion in the pole tip region and a second portion in the back region;
• a discrete notch structure on top of the first magnetic pole and having a trench which is located entirely in the pole tip region;
• the notch structure being bounded in part by first and second spaced apart exterior front wails which form a part of the ABS, first and second interior sidewalls which are contiguous with the first and second exterior front walls respectively and which form first and second sidewalls of the trench, an interior rear wall which interconnects said first and second interior sidewalls and which forms a rear wail of the trench, and an exterior back wall which is located back of said interior rear wail;
• said notch structure being a non-magnetic material;
• a pole tip layer in the trench of said notch structure, the pole tip layer having first and second sidewalls and a rear wail which are defined by said first and second interior sidewalls and said interior rear wail of the trench;
• a second magnetic pole layer formed over the first magnetic pole layer with a first portion in the pole tip region and a second portion of the back region;
• a plurality of insulation layers located between the first and second magnetic pole layers, the notch structure being a distinct structure with respect to said insulation layers;
• a coil structure located in the back region and sandwiched between the insulation layers;
• the notch structure being located entirely between the air bearing surface and said coil structure;
• and
• the first portion of the second magnetic pole layer being formed over and interfacially connected to a top of the notch structure and interfacially connected to and completely covering said pole tip layer within said trench.

A thin film magnetic head having a top and a bottom comprising:

• first and second pole pieces which extend between an air bearing surface and a back gap;
• a coil, which has at least one layer, sandwiched between a plurality of insulation layers, the insulation layers being sandwiched between said first and second pole pieces;
• the magnetic head having a pole tip region which extends from the air bearing surface toward the back gap and a back region which extends from the pole tip region to the back gap;
• said coil being located in the back gap region and not being located in the pole tip region;
• a discrete notch structure located only between the air bearing surface and said coil and having a trench which is located only in the pole tip region, said discrete notch structure being a distinct structure with respect to said insulation layers;
• the trench having an open end at the air bearing surface and a closed end located at a zero throat level of the magnetic head;
• the pole tip region being located only between the air bearing surface and the zero throat level;
• and
• at least one magnetic pole tip located in said trench and having an extension defined thereby, said at least one magnetic pole tip being directly connected to the first pole piece or to the second pole piece.